Appunti su mariologia e poesia al tempo del Concilio Vaticano II

The representation of the Blessed Virgin constitutes one of the most important thematic lines in Italian poetry, both sacred and profane. Traditionally, Mary was inscribed in a far, hierarchical space, but recently the poets have placed her in descriptions of earthly life, familiar to the lyrical subject. The purpose of this article is to analyze recent Marian representations in Italian poetry. In my perspective, during the last century, in a long dialogue with Marian theology, poetic representations of Mary were moved into the interior space of culture (according to the definition of Juri Lotman). Consequently, several ‘superhuman’ traits of this figure gradually lost importance. The Second Vatican Council, which normalized the doctrine, the practices of worship, and eventually the cultural interests in Mary, was the central moment of such change, a process started before the council that influenced all subsequent cultural production. The legacy of the Council is a renewed interest in Marian theology and poetry.